One-Pan Salmon Niçoise With Orzo

By Ali Slagle

Published March 18, 2023

One-Pan Salmon Niçoise With Orzo
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(2,184)
Comments
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This one-skillet dinner has the bright flavors of a salade Niçoise but is more substantial, so you can eat it all year long, even on a chilly evening. For a happy mix of exciting textures — tender salmon and orzo, snappy green beans, juicy tomatoes — cook the orzo with shallots and olives, then in the last few minutes of cooking, nestle in the green beans and salmon fillets to cook. Meanwhile, stir together a vinaigrette that’s punchy with fresh tomatoes, vinegar, Dijon mustard and raw shallot to spoon over the finished dish. Adapt this rendition further as you like, adding anchovies with the sautéed or raw shallots, swapping the salmon for canned tuna, or adding capers or sliced cucumbers to the tomato vinaigrette.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1large shallot, coarsely chopped
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1cup orzo
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper
  • ½cup pitted kalamata olives
  • 1pint cherry or other small tomatoes, halved (8 to 10 ounces)
  • 2tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Handful of basil leaves or pinch of thyme leaves (optional)
  • 4(4- to 5-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on or off
  • 8ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

520 calories; 27 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 32 grams protein; 770 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Transfer 1 tablespoon of the chopped shallot to a medium bowl, then add the remaining shallot to a large (12-inch) skillet. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium high. When the oil is sizzling, add the orzo, season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and stir constantly until light golden, 2 to 4 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the olives plus 2¼ cups water; bring to a boil, then cover the skillet with a lid, baking sheet or foil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook according to package directions until the orzo is al dente.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, red wine vinegar, mustard, herbs (if using) and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the reserved shallots in the bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper then set aside. Season the salmon with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    When the orzo is al dente, add the green beans and stir to combine. If orzo looks dry, add ¼ cup water; you want it to be wet but not soupy. Nestle the salmon in a single layer into the orzo, skin-side up if applicable. Cover and cook until the salmon and orzo are cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 2 minutes. If your salmon has skin, peel it off and discard. Top the orzo and salmon with the tomatoes and vinaigrette.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,184 user ratings
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Comments

LST

Amazing recipe! But needs some adjustments on timing. Orzo ended up being overdone and salmon underdone. Not sure of the solution, but perhaps cooking the salmon separately for a bit and then adding or adding after just a few minutes of the orzo being on. Also the basil really makes it. I’d recommend also topping with basil.

Jamie

With some basic understanding of timing this recipe is great! I made the tomato mixture while broiling the salmon skin side up for 3 minutes. This made it easy to skin the fish and parcooked it. As for the orzo, when abt half the water was absorbed I added the green beans & covered. Then after 2 minutes I nestled the fish into the mixture & covered again for 4 minutes or so. I then turned off the heat, topped w/ the tomato mixture, and recovered the pan for 2 more minutes. Perfection.

Sandy Camargo

I've been using Banza pasta for a while now (chickpea flour instead of wheat flour). They also make a rice-like pasta that is an excellent substitute for orzo, so I'll be making this with Banza rice instead of orzo.

Oli

Added fresh lime thyme and oregano instead of basil to the home grown cherry tomatoes and if I didn't have to share I would devour the tomato mix alone :).

Oli

Wow, I was not expecting such complex flavor when I first eyed the recipe, I used salmon filets without skin, and fresh cherry tomatoes we grew this summer. Everything cooked in the allotted time. It tasted like a high end restaurant meal - I have several of these gems on NYT Recipes site, this is definitely a keeper to repeat next time when we have company.

Mary

There is a mistake at the end of the recipe on step 4. The orzo is basically cooked al dente. It says to add the green beans. Then is says to add the salmon and cook until the orzo and fish are cooked. They mean the green beans and the salmon.

Oli

I wouldn't call it a mistake. To me the orzo is first cooked al dente so slightly undercooked, and after adding salmon it finishes cooking.

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